Blood Meridian Explained Video #5 || Chapters 13 - 15 || WTF Does This Even Mean?

Welcome to the fifth episode of WTF Does This Even Mean? covering chapters 13 -15 of Blood Meridian, or The Evening Redness in the West by Cormac McCarthy. Blood Meridian was published in 1985. It is often viewed as not only as McCarthy's most complex novel, but his masterpiece work.

In this video, I discuss chapters thirteen, fourteen, and fifteen. I summarize the chapters and go more in-depth on chosen passages within these chapters. I will not cover EVERYTHING these chapters have to offer, because every chapter offers a lot, but the things I find to be pretty interesting, important, or I just plain like.

It is my hope that these videos offer something to those reading along, those reading for the first time, and those who have read it several times before. It is one of my favorite novels of all time. Every time I read it, I pick up on something new.

This season of WTF Does This Even Mean? Will be approximately eight videos long. I will be posting a new video every Sunday morning. Next week’s video covers chapters 16 - 19.

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The music in this video comes from Earth’s album inspired by Blood Meridian called Hex; Or Printing in the Infernal Method. Every song title on the album is named after a phrase found in the novel.

Intro music: "Raiford (The Felon Wind)"
Background music: "Land of Some Other Order"

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#BloodMeridian #CormacMcCarthy #AmyGetsLit #booktube #literature #WTFDoesThisEvenMean #bookdiscussion #videoessay

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Let’s connect!

Inquiries:

[AmyGetsLit]

There are only two videos left for our journey and one video discussing the book overall. Thank you to everyone who has watched and been so encouraging. This has been a very daunting task, but one I have enjoyed. My love letter to this book and to Cormac McCarthy, if you will.

[johnm.]

The quote "Whatever exists without my knowledge exists without my consent" is also my most memorable quote from the book. Again, I think of the cruelties of evolution and the survival of the fittest.

[blaisebienvenue]

You bring much to the table of Blood Meridian analysis. It's one of my favorite novels, several times devoured, pondered, etc., mainly just for the sheer joy of the language, images, scenes, concepts ("joy" maybe not in the conventional sense, as I'm sure you understand). I'm not an academic, nor is my background formally academic, but I love hearing you talk about this book. It adds to my thoughts on the subject. Thank you for the hard work. Dig the music and the overall tone, as well.

[rickjones]

So far, best analysis I've heard. Thank you for making me think!

[JosephFrancisBurton]

Thank you again for this excellent, in-depth discussion. Booktube could use more discussions like this..!!

[nickcassettes]

There is something very powerful in the scene with the mules and the mercury tumbling into the abyss -something alchemic for sure, and otherworldly. The great sheets of quicksilver coalescing into narrow streams and disappearing into the earth. Chapter 15 seems to mark a turning point (3rd act?); the violence descending further into mindlessness.

Also, your connection of the judge's dances to the men's debauchery is really ace (just saying)!
Great series!

[lyon]

Loving this commentary as I read my way on through. Thanks for joining me on this wold ride, sista.

[Mountaininthesea]

The burning tree section is my favorite, I love the description of the desert creatures

[alexcoble]

Amy, your channel is amazing! I love your interpretation of this book. I've been reading this and I genuinely look forward to watching your recap once I finish the chapter to see what details pop out to you and how you interpret this. I wish there were more channels like this. You rock !

[BookishTexan]

Great job again. I think that Chapter 14 is really important for understanding what/who the Judge is. At one point he reaches directly into a fire with his bare hand. He shuts himself away in a cantina during a religious ceremony in which a statue of Christ is being paraded through town, small children flee from him, another child disappears, puppies are drowned/shot, he literally calls a tune dances, and he claims dominion over the earth.. And, he floats in a pool of filthy water like a big white mammal (Moby Dick?) in Chapter 13.


About the Kid. Is it possible that the Kid is just a kid. That his reactions aren't based on any moral principle simply the selfishness and impulsiveness of a teenager? The Judge studies him and is in a way "raising him" according to his own ideas of child rearing -- let the kids fight/ fend for themselves, put them in situations in which they have to make decisions that have consequences. The Judge lets the Kid live because he hasn't figured him out yet. He hasnt figured out what the Kid will be.


Also, I think its creepy and significant that the Judge prefers kid skin boots.

[decem_sagittae]

The burning tree episode is very important. In Exodus God reveals Himself to Moses as a burning bush and talks to him. The burning tree the kid finds is silent. Which is suggestive of the absence of God, a theme that is pervasive throughout the novel.

[mcs-books]

Everytime I hear you talking about this book, I've always felt this 'itch' as if something is crawling over me, and then when hearing about the allusion to millipedes in the section set in the bathhouse just seemed to encapsulate EXACTLY the feeling that I get. It sounds like just such a seedy and dirty book, like I can almost be covered in grime myself just from imagining the story of this book - which fair dues to McCarthy and yourself proves that there's a skill in making me a part of the story!
I've just finished reading The Farseer Trilogy by Robin Hobb, and whilst they are two COMPLETELY opposite characters, the Judge from this book and the Fool from Hobb's trilogy seem to almost be described in very similar ways, and I'm intrigued as to the arc of the Judge's story and see if there are any more parallels between these two characters - because they've both been described with this strange childlike appearance, and both have a sort of mysterious and knowing aura about them which gives them a confidence which seems a little questionable.
"The desert wind would salt their ruins..." is such a powerful line, the whole sentence is really quite haunting, and it excites me that there's going to be a parallel drawn in the epilogue of this book, I love it when we get hints to overall themes and motifs like this in literature, and especially the contrast of this theme, of remembering and telling others' stories, with the motif of violence of death gives it a much needed balance. I think without the hope of there being something more than just mindless violence can make the reader feel like there is something human to read from this text, rather than just being traumatised by violence after violence with no real meaning for it happening.
"Isn't it interesting that when the judge dances, it brings out all this awful behaviour... just pointing it out." - this made me chuckle quite a bit, along with your "I'm just saying'" about the girl going out alone. It's nice because you highlight some really interesting moments without enforcing your own meaning upon it, and allowing us to inscribe our own understanding of the text ourselves. I think that's a really important thing when talking about literature, and analysing it... it's about having reading as a personal venture, and whilst it can be shared as an experience - there will always be a multitude of interpretations and understandings of a book.
When the kid is made to kill the two people, and he is tied over the decision as to whether or not to kill Shelby, and it's interesting to see this binary of selfishness and selflessness in opposition to each other and yet existing within each other at the same time - it poses a really interesting question, something I've felt before when my cat has brought in a half dead animal, and I feel I should put it out of its misery, but just can't bring myself to do it, and it is HORRIBLE. And its such a conflict within me, so I can only imagine the conflict that the kid had here.
Again, with the kid being different to the others and missing out on experiences of the others, creates a nice balance to this book, and I like that there is the space for such a mix of characters going through such similar moments and gore.
Another great video, Amy! I'm glad to be able to come onto your channel and know that these videos are here, and definitely looking forward to all your future plans with this WTF series!! :D

[terratwotwo]

So, admission- I haven't read these chapters yet. Sounds like we are starting to learn more about the judge. I will try to catch up this week ❤ Awesome discussion!

[basementmadetapes]

Toadvine is the one dude who will dare, at least in some way, the hubris and evil of The Judge.

[JzB]

I am curious about McCarthy’s writing process during Blood Meridian. Do you think he had nightmares? Reading it gives ME nightmares.

[aaronweiss]

Isnt the original sin eating of the tree of knowledge of good and evil?

[stevefrew]

What is the music track used at the opening of these videos? Thanks.

[wellreadandhalfdead]

I really wondered if the kid was going to find the party again for a while. If he didn't I would have missed the Judge lol.

[misfitbryce]

The Judge= Nephilim? Archon? The Demiurge? Djinn?
???